1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording/reproducing method and apparatus and a reproducing apparatus for a tape-shaped recording medium. More particularly, it relates to a recording/reproducing method and apparatus and a reproducing apparatus in which digital signals are recorded on the tape-shaped recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, a rotary head type magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for professional use with accredited high operational reliability has been used on the site of news or data collection. The apparatus of this type mostly has the concurrent monitoring function of recording data and instantaneously reproducing the recorded data.
For example, a digital audio tape recorder realizes this concurrent monitoring function using four heads. If, however, head clogging or large dropout that cannot be corrected by this concurrent monitoring should occur, it can be recognized simply that problems arose in recording, such that data has to be recorded from the outset.
There are also known devices in which all four of the heads are used for reproduction for avoiding the above problem. However, there lacks a device having effective means on the recording side for avoiding the above problem.
If the tape is scratched, data rewriting on the same side by editing is physically impossible. That is, similar dropout occurs during re-recording, thus producing uncorrectable errors.